CHAPTER 6 THE TRAP

Sera's POV

When I woke up, I was already in my room. I couldn't remember how I got here. Bandages covered my wounds—someone had treated me. I tried to stand, but a sharp pain shot through my body, forcing me back down.

"It might be better if you rest," a voice said from the doorway.

I looked up and saw a man standing there. I'd seen him before. I tried to remember... Yes, at the orphanage… and then yesterday before I blacked out.

"Why are you here?" I asked, my fingers subtly searching for my gun.

"Are you looking for this?" He held it up, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You still didn't answer me," I said, my eyes locked on his.

"Didn't you pass out in front of me?"

"Did you enjoy watching me suffer, Luca… No… Antonio?" I corrected myself, narrowing my gaze.

His eyes darkened for a moment before he chuckled. "You're quite smart, aren't you?" He took a slow step closer. "Fine. I like you. What do you want?"

"I want…" I exhaled sharply. "I want you to get out of my house and leave me alone."

Something flickered in his eyes—surprise? Amusement? He only laughed before turning away, the door clicking shut behind him.

I sighed, my body demanding more rest. I didn't even know when I drifted off again. When I woke up next, the pain was still there, but duller. My cabinet was half-empty—enough. I grabbed the leftover rum, pouring some over my wounds before drinking the rest. It burned, but it was the quickest way to numb the pain.

As my thoughts cleared, the truth settled in. The commander—he knew everything. The man I had followed for years, believing in his cause, was involved in human trafficking. And Antonio… He wasn't just a donor. He was connected to this mess in ways I didn't fully understand yet.

I needed answers.

It took a few days to regain my strength. Once I could move properly, I started digging into St. Mary's Orphanage and Antonio. His records only showed donations, but something wasn't adding up. Who exactly was Antonio?

The answer led me straight to La Mano Nera—one of the most ruthless mafia clans in Italy.

But human trafficking wasn't part of their business. It violated their clan's code. So, if it wasn't them…

Thakur.

Disgusting.

And the commander was already working with them. My stomach twisted in disgust. I let out a deep sigh. I needed to act.

Antonio's POV

I had met countless women in my life. But this one—she was different. No one had ever told me to fuck off like that.

"Luca, are you sure you got the right intel on this woman?" I asked, taking a drag from my cigarette.

"Yes. Why?" Luca frowned.

"I want you to dig deeper. I feel like you're missing something."

Luca nodded and left, and I leaned back in my chair, exhaling smoke.

My men had been tailing her.

She was small, maybe 5'6, but she fought like she was ten feet tall. I'd seen her take down men twice her size without breaking a sweat. That fire in her eyes, the way she refused to back down—it was rare.

And then there was her scent.

I noticed it the first time I got close enough. Something sweet, faint but intoxicating, like vanilla laced with something darker. A contradiction, just like her.

Why the hell was I thinking about how she smelled?

I scoffed, running a hand through my hair.

I needed something stronger tonight. That woman was messing with my head.

The Next Day

My phone buzzed unexpectedly.

"It's me, Sera. I want to meet. I'll send the location."

The line went dead before I could respond.

My phone beeped again—the location.

"Luca, let's go."

Let's see what this spitfire wants.

When we arrived, one of my men spoke. "We're here, boss."

I stepped out of the car, scanning the area.

Then—guns.

Before I could react, men surrounded me. Cold steel pressed against the side of my head.

It was a trap.

But it was Sera who had called me here.

I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening as the realization settled in. Did she really set me up? After everything? I had been played before, deceived by people I trusted, but this felt different. This wasn't just betrayal—it was her.

And now, she had sold me out.

"Look like someone's gonna die today."

Akhil's voice snapped me back to reality.

I turned to him, my face cold, unreadable. His gun was raised, finger hovering over the trigger, but he wasn't pulling it yet. He wanted to enjoy this.

"Why don't you stop talking and just shoot—if you can?" I said, my voice calm.

Akhil laughed, shaking his head. "You're too damn confident for someone about to die. This isn't even your territory, Antonio. You let your guard down because of a woman. That's gotta sting, huh?"

I felt something tighten in my chest, something ugly, something I didn't want to name.

It wasn't the trap that burned—it was the thought of her. Did she watch me walk into this, knowing I wouldn't make it out? Did she laugh after hanging up that call, knowing she had set me up like a fool?

No.

No, that didn't fit her.

But I couldn't ignore the reality in front of me.

"That's enough," another voice cut in, deep and laced with rage.

Arun Thakur.

His bloodshot eyes locked onto me, his body shaking with the force of his hatred. His brother, Varun, was dead—by my hands. He wasn't here to play games. He was here to make me suffer.

"You made a mistake, killing my brother," Arun growled. "Now, I'm going to kill you—slowly, painfully."

Before I could speak, another man stepped forward. Tall, middle-aged, cold. Someone I didn't recognize, but power radiated off him in waves.

"Is this the guy you saw with that girl—Sera?" he asked.

"Yes, Isaac," Arun confirmed, his lips curling into a twisted smirk. "Now, let's sort you out first—"

BANG

The air cracked with the unmistakable sound of a sniper shot.

Isaac's head snapped back, blood splattering as his body crumpled to the ground.